German patent application P 36 21 259.8 deals with a locking system which is similar to that of the present invention. A flap, a lid or the like is provided with a fixed locking bolt which cooperates with a latch. The latch is formed as a bail, overlapping the locking bolt in the closed position. The latch is pivotally linked to a slide disposed within a box-like guiding means which is open to one side thereof. If the slide is substantially wholly disposed within the guiding means the latch is disposed in its locking state. If the slide is disposed partially out of the guiding means, the latch may be moved into its unlocking state by exerting a force upon the locking bolt. The slide has a control element which is supported by the slide for rotation about an axis disposed transverse to the moving direction of the slide. The control element cooperates with fixedly attached cam means of the guiding means such that the control element cooperates with first cam means in the closing position by means of which the slide is held at the lower or locking position and prevented from underdoing movement outwardly of the guiding means. Upon movement of the slide into the guiding means, the control element is released from the first cam means and cooperates with second cam means which rotates the control element about its axis. If, thereafter, the slide is release a spring continuously biasing the slide urges the slide outwardly of the guide means, with the control element now passing the second cam means. As a result, the control element is rotated further. If, conversely, the slide is moved from the opened position to the closed position the second cam means moves the control element to a position at which it again cooperates with the first cam means in order to retain the slide in the locking position.
Such a locking system enables the opening and closing of a lid, a flap or the like only by exclusive actuation of the flap or the lid without necessitating the actuation of a locking element, a handle or the like. However, it requires a number of parts and needs a predetermined amount of space which is not always available.